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Down and down the searchers went, the dwarf and the
kender pounding down a long, corkscrew spiral in the
heart of the mountain; the mounted man descending the
slope, looking everywhere, trying to see everything.
In the cavern with the light shaft, Chane found prints in
the dust on the stone floor and paused, then hurried on. Ji-
lian was ahead somewhere, with the ogre in pursuit.
As one, Chane and Chess darted into the far tunnel
and continued downward, running as fast as they could
in the darkness. The kender's natural balance and simple
luck were all that kept him abreast of the tunnel-wise
dwarf.
The downward slope eased, and the tunnel began to
straighten. Chane put on more speed. Just ahead, he
knew, the shaft should emerge into open air. And if Jilian
had managed to escape the ogre in the tunnel -- how, he
couldn't imagine -- her fate would be sealed when the
monster had room to maneuver. Outside, she would
have no chance.
The tunnel wound slightly to the left, and then there
was light ahead... light and an abrupt, heart-stopping
sound. A shrill, agonized scream reverberated back into
the tunnel from just beyond its end.
Chane put his head down, filled his aching lungs, and
plunged ahead into the evening light. Off to one side, he
heard a horseman coming downslope, rocks clattering
beneath charging hooves.
The dwarf raised his hammer. As Chane skidded to a
halt, the kender bumped into him from behind, then
dashed aside to wield his hoopak
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